Grip-pulley wheel



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5.,?. WALSH. GRIP PULLEY WHEEL.

Patented Maij. 26,1889'.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. P. WALSH, .GRIP PULLEY WHEEL.

No. 400,276. Patented Mar. 26, 1889n Q @Z Q @i #m ma@ K 3 SheetS--Sheet3. R. P. WALSH. GRIP PULLEY WHEEL.

(No Model.)

No. 400,276. Patented Mama, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD 'PATRICK VWAIJSI-I, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GRIP-PULLEY WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,276, dated March26, 1889.

Application filed February 27, 1888. Serial No. 265,369. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD PATRICK VALSH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Grip-Pulley Vheels, of which thefollowing is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enableany one skilled in the art to which i't appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification.

My invention relates more especially to improvements in the means forimparting the motion of the machinery of the power-house to the cable ofa cable railway, and dispenses with the grooved sheaves which impartsuch motion to the cable, and substitutes therefor a sheave havingclamping mechanism thereon of peculiar construction, which clamps thecable to said rotating sheave and imparts motion thereto, the saidcable, when it reaches the tangential points of said sheave, beingclamped at the point where the cable runs on the said grip-pulley, andun clamped therefrom at the point where the cable runs from saidgrip-pulley, theclamping and unclamping being performed automatically bythe rotation of Jthe grip-pulley itself. By this means a positive'gripis applied to the cable at the power-house, so that the motion of thedriving mechanism at said power-house is positively applied to the cableand all slipping prevented.

Other objections by my mechanism are also obviated, which I will nowproceed to set forth.

In the construction of power-house plants as now generally used themotion is imparted to the cable by two revolving grooved sheaves whichare provided with a multiplicity of grooves. The cable passes over thesegrooved sheaves, which are rotated constantly by the engine a number oftimes, and from thence proceeds to the tension-regulating device. Apowerful tension is put upon the several turns of the cable betweenthese grooved sheaves, so as to increase the friction between the cableand the sheaves, to prevent slipping of the cable and to cause themotion of the sheaves to be imparted to the cable. I have discoveredthat it is this eXtreme tension between these sheaves that destroys thelife of the cable and produces a permanent set in the same, so that itbecomes, so to speak,.lifeless, and often disrupted in some of itsstrands. It is popularly supposed that cables are destroyed when in theconduit and when performing their functions in drawing cars. The strainplaced upon cables when in the conduit is nothing to compare with thestrain thrown upon cables when between the grooved sheaves before spokenof. It is my opinion and belief that cables are destroyed by the tensionand other troubles that arise from the use of the mechanism nowgenerally employed in power-houses to impart motion to cables. Thesegrooved sheaves in cable railways have inherent obj ections, in that itis impossible to make the several grooves in said sheaves of the samedepth, so as to have them mathematically correct. The grooves are liableto vary, even when the best workmanship is employed in making them, froman eighth to a sixteenth of an inch, so that an increased tension isplaced upon the cable by this variation in depth of the grooves. Thevariation spoken of produces a strain on the cable in proportion to thediameter of the sheave, so that with a sheave of large diameter theincreased strain due to the variation in the grooves is somethingenormous to contemplate. It is this feature which produces the greatstrain upon cables and gives a cable a permanent set. My inventiondispenses, as before remarked, with the grooved sheaves and overcomesentirely any increase of strain due to variation in the grooves of suchsheaves.

Another feature which I wish to call attention to in connection with theuse of grooved sheaves is that the cable in passing over the same isbeing bent back and forthI at a rapid rate, the effect of which, as iswell known, is to disrupt the wire of the strand, producing moleculardisturbances in the metal thereof. This difficulty is increased, ofcourse, in proportion to the number of turns between the sheaves, sothat with a great number of turns the life of the cable is necessarilyshorter. In my invention I do away with this multiplicity of turns ofthe cable and reduce the same to a minimum-namely, one turn-so that thebending of the cable in passing over the sheave is also reduced to aminimum and the life of the cable prolonged thereby.

ICO

Another feature which may be mentioned in this connection is, that wheregrooved rollers are employed, and the cable passes over the same amultiplicity of times, the cable necessarily must travel -a great dealfarther on the sheaves during the space of a month or a year, forinstance. Itmay be remarked,then, that with grooved sheaves the cablehas to travel a greater distance on the sheaves, and therefore issubjected to more wear, and its life is thereby rendered correspondinglyshort. In my invention the cable makes but oneturn in passing over thesheave, so that the tiavel of the cable on the sheaves reduced to aminimum, and its life, in consequence thereof, reaches a maximum.

I will proceed now to describe an apparatus embodying one form of myinvention by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1is an elevation of my clamp cable driving wheel or sheave. Fig. 2 is asection on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the camfor operating the clamping mechanism, showing also the clamping-wheelshaft with the clamp-wheel removed. Fig. 4 is a sectional'plan of thelatter on the line et 4rof Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a face view of the guidebearing-wheel which is attached to the clamp-wheel shaft. Fig. t3 is asection thereof on the line (i h. Fig. 7 is an isometric projection ofone of the bearings on the guidewheel. Figs. 8 and il are detail viewsshowing the rim of the clamp-wheel with a clamp in different positions.Fig. is a side elevation showing the relation of the clampwheel, theengine-shaft driving the same, the idle-wheel, and tension-carriage,having the clamp connecting-rods and cam-operating `disk removed fromthe grip-pulley for the sake of elearness, showing also the path of thecable. Figs. 1], 12, and 13 are isometric projections of the details ofa clamp. Figs. 11ic and 15 are views of the clamping-rods, Fig. 1l beinga section ou the line 14 14 of Fig. 15.

Referring to Fig. 10, 1 is the main or driving shaft of .the engine. 2is a spur-wheel thereon, which meshes with wheel 3, secured to a hub, l,mounted upon a counter-shaft, 5.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, G is a rim or annulusattached to the wheel 3, to which rim the clamps 7 are secured. The rimo' is preferably bolted tothe wheel 3, as shown in Figs. 8 and 0.

In the construction now employed the p grooved sheaves over which thecable passes are arranged on a shaft which is turned by a wheel keyed tosaid shaft at considerable distance from said grooved sheaves. Motion isimparted to this wheel by any suitable means, but usually by a pinion onthe engine-shaft gearing into said wheel. In such aconstruction atwisting strain is put upon the shaft which carries the grooved sheavesand the wheel. rlhe greater the distance of the sheaves from the wheelthe greater will be the strain thrown upon the shaft.

In my construction I avoid this by practically making the sheave for thecable and the drlven wheel in one. Ido this, as pointed ont before, bybolting the rim (i, which .forms the sheave for the cable', to the wheel3, which is driven by the pinion 2, located upon the engine-shaft 1. ,eFigs. 2 and 10.) I thus practically obviate the twisting strain which isusually thrown upon the shaft 5, and thus secure an advantage over theseprevious constructions. So far as I am aware I am the first to do this.The clamps 7 consist of several parts, which are shown in Figs. 1l, 12,and 13.

8 is the clamp-shoe, which is attached io the clamp.

9 is a bifurcated piece whichv straddles the clamp 7, the said clamp 7being journaled tothe piece 9 by a rod passing through perforations inthe two parts, the perforation in the part Qbeing eccentric to thejournals 10 10, which are supported by bearings or pillowblocks 1l 11,attached to the rim (i. The clamps 7 are arranged around t-he rim atequidistance, each being supported in its own bearings 11 11, secured tosaid rim. The clamp 7 is also provided with a lug, 12, integral with thesame.

From the bifurcated piece 9 run rods 13 to a guide-wheel, l-L, and fromthe part 12 of the clamps 7 also run rods 15 to the guide-wheel ll, theone set of rods being arranged directly over the other. The guide-wheel111 is secured to the hub 4 and revolves with the wheel and rim (i. Itis provided with a series of radial bearings, 1G, near its periphery,and is also provided with a series of radial guides, 17, midway betweenthe center and the bearings 1G. The rods 13 are guided by the bearings16, and the rods 15 pass through and below the bearings 1G tothe guides17, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The plate 3l, Fig. 7, forms theother side of the bearings 1G, the said plate beingr removed to show theconstruction more clearly. The rods 13 and 15 are provided with rollers1S and 1f), respectively, at their inner ends.

Supported from the foundation of the apparatus is a stationary cam-disk,20, which is provided with two cams, 21 22, each being formed by tworims projecting at right angles from th e stationary cam-disk, making agroove between each of the two rims, in which grooves the rollers 1S and10 travel. as the wheel 3 revolves. The cam-disk is supported by plates232 32,which are bolted to the foundation of the plant.

It will be noted that when the wheel 3 revolves, carrying with it theclamps and rods 13 and 15, the guide-wheel il!t will also he carriedaround at the same time, as it is rigidly secured upon the hub ,which iskeyed to the shaft 'The rollers 1S and 19 will therefore be caused totravel around in the cams 21 22, and will operate the rods 13 and 15, asthe clamp-wheel revolves in the direc- IOO IIO

tion of the arrows in Fig. l. As the upper .part of the wheel passes theline 2 2, the

clamps will be taken off of the cable. The cam 21, operating ahead ofthe cam 22, draws the rods 13 toward the center, as shown in Fig. 8,This revolves the eccentric in the direction of the arrow shown in saidlatter ligure and takes ofi: the pressure of the clamp 7 upon the cableThe pressure being removed, the cam 22 begins to act, draws down the rodl5, (see Fig. 8,) and swings the clamps 7 out of the plane of the rim 6into the position shown in Fig. 9, so that the cable can leave the wheelat the tangential point. 'lhe clamps stay thrown back in the positionshown in Fig. 9 until they approach the line 2 2 again in theirrevolution. Vhen the cam 22 acts in pressing' the rods l5 outward andthrowing the clamp into the position indi-- cated in the dotted liliesof Fig. 0, the cam 2l begins to act and pushes the rods 1S outward,moving the eccentric in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 9, anddrawing the clamp T down upon the cable into the position shown in Fig.S, tightly clamping said clamp against the cable and rim G, attached tothe wheel 3. The clamps are held -in engagement with the cable untilthey pass the line 2 2 again, when the same operation is repeated.

The rods 1S l5 are provided with a springsocket or elastic connection,24, in .order to render their operation and adjustment more perfect.Were the rods 13 unprovided with.

such spring-sockets, too greata pressure might be placed on the cable,or the rods might be torn asunder by the great stress thrown upon them.

Within the socket 2a is a stout spiral spring which bears against ahead, 25, connected to one end of the rod and playing up and downagainst the tension of the spring in the socket through the cap-piece26. The other ends of the rods are screw-threaded and screwed into asleeve, 27, which engages a screw-thread, 2S, on the inside of thesocket 24, so that when any undue pressure is thrown upon the rods `itwill be taken up by the spiral spring through the play of the head 25.rlhese sprin sockets rendera nice adjustment of the parts unnecessary,as they will compensate for anyl irregularity in adjustment andoperation.

29 (see Fig. 10) is the idle-wheel, the axle 3l of which is slightlyinclined, so that the cable can -be passed to the tension device withoutin terfering with the wheel l-that is to say, the wheel is thrownslightly out of the plane of the wheel 3. The cable 23 leaves theconduit in the direction of the arrows, passes to the clamp-wheel withone turn, to the idlewheel, and thence to the tension device 30, and outagain to the conduit in the ydirection of the arrows.

It will be noted that I dispense entirely with grooved sheaves referredto above, and substitute therefor a clamping-wheel, which is moreefiicient in imparting motion to the cable, and that I throw no extrastrain upon the cable to impart such motion to it, the

only strain put upon the cable being that due to the useful work itperforms. I therefore effect great economyin the operation of cablerailways, wasting little or no energy in unnecessary friction andstrain.

Itwill be observed that the clamping mechanism is entirely automatic inaction, that the mechanism can be made durable and strong .and Ais notcomplicated, and, as pointed out above, it will prolong the life of acable much beyond its usual period of existence, and inasmuch as it willdo this it will save many thousands of dollars.

Having now set forth my invention and described its operation-andadvantages, I wish to have it known that I do not limit myself to theexact mechanism described, as the same may be .varied in many wayswithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

That I desire to claim, and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates as my invention, is-

l. rIhe combination of a driven wheel, a cable passing therearound,clamps carried by said driven wheel, two series of rods connected tosaid clamps, a guide-wheel holding said rods in position and revolvingwith said driven wheel, and cams controlling said rods to intermittentlyclamp the cable to the driven wheel, for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a driven wheel, a cable passing oversaid wheel,clamps intermittently clamping said cable to said wheel, rods havingelastic sockets in them intermediate of their ends, which lrods areconnected to said clamps, and a disk having cam-grooves controlling saidrods, whereby said elastic sockets compensate for any irregularity ofadjustment and operation and prevent undue pressure being thrown uponthe cable.

3, A grip-pulley wheel having clamps arranged around the peripherythereof, rods connected to said clamps, and a stationary disk withcam-groove controlling said rods, whereby the camdisk puts on and takesoff the clamps.

l. yA grip-pulley wheel having clamps arranged around the periphery ofsaid wheel, two rods connected to each clamp, one of Which rods throwssaid clamp in and out of the plane of the cable, and the other of whichraises said clamp and draws it down upon said cable, and a disk havingcam-grooves controlling said rods.

5. A grip-pulley wheel having clamps pivoted in movable bearingsjournaled in the periphery of said Wheel, a rod connected to -Ico IIO

the clamp, a second rod connected tosaid movable bearings, whereby theclamps are swung into and out of the plane of the cable and the cable isclamped and unclamped, and a disk having cam-grooves controlling saidrods.

6. A grip-pulley Wheel having clamps pivoted in movable bearingsjournaled in the periphery of said wheel, rods for said clamps,

:L stationery disk provided with cam-grooves 10. rlhe combination, ashereinbefore set which control said rods, and t guide-wlieel E forth, ofthe wheel 3, clamps 7, pivoted in revolving with said grip-pulley,substantially :is described.

'7. The ceniliiimtion, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of thedriven wheel 3,0211 rying` the clamps 7, journaled in the bifurca-tedpiece Sl, tlfe rods 13 15, connected to sztid bifureziited piece f),sind the clamps 7, respectively, :i disk having grooves controlling saidrods, a cable, :tud aY guidewheel, 14.

S. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of thewheel 3, driven by the gear-wheel 2, the rim l), carried thereby, theclamps T, as described, journztled on said rim, the rods 1S 15,theguide-wheel 14, mounted on the hub of said wheel 3, zi stationery diskcarrying` the cmu-grooves 21 22, controlling` said rods, und clumps tointermittently clmnp the cable.

El. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of thedriven wheel 3, the rim (5, secured to the same, the elziinp 7, carriedby said rim and mounted in the part 9, the rods 13 and 15, theguide-wheel liforstid rods, a` spline-socket in said rods, rollers cm'-ried by said rods :tt their inner ends, and ai cem-disk, 20, bearing'the two cum-grooves 21. 22,'in which seid rollers travel, as and for thepurpose described.

the bifurcated pieces 9, journaled eccentriczilly in the periphery ofseid wheel, :L rod connected with said bifurcated piece, it rodconnected with said clamp@ guide-wheel revolving' withl theaforementioned wheel, forming bearings for said rods, and zt stationarydisk having two coin-grooves controlling' the two series of rods.

11.. The combination of a wheel, as 3, L citble, and a `grip-pulleytherefor secured direetly upon said wheel, for the purpose described.

12. The combination of the spur-wlieel 3, t rim, (l, mounted upon saidwheel, forming u pulley for it cable, clmnps for intermittentlyclamping,` said cable to said. rim, und a pinionwheel for drivin g seidspurvheel in terincshing with the seme, substantially and for thepurpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hzind, this 23d dziy ofFebruary, 1888, in the presence of the two subscribin witnesses.

RICHARD lA'lRHlK \VALSII.

Vv' itnesses:

A. C. FoWLnu, )1.1). Duden.

